A budding romance
by fairytailsbluepanda
Summary: One of Niijima's lies causes a lot of trouble for Kenichi and his fellow Gardening club member Izumi. After all is said and done will their club still be intact or will Kenichi lose his club and Izumi? (Had to repost because this got deleted for some reason)
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own any of the characters of History's strongest disciple Kenichi they all belong to Matsuena Syun. And I must applaud him on writing such a good story"**

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"Yo Kenichi." I looked up from where I was bent over watering the flowers, to see who had called my name.

"Oh hey, Takeda." I smiled, standing upright as I watched him walk around from the window, to the door and into the gardening clubs greenhouse. I set my watering can down next to the tray of flowers that still needed to be sorted, before I went home today, and headed over to see my friend.

"So where's your little girlfriend?" He asked nonchalantly, gazing at the red roses that had just started to bloom.

"If you mean Miu, then she's still at gymnastics practise." I replied seriously puzzled by his question. Takeda knew that Miu wasn't really my girlfriend, (even though I desperately wanted her to be). So why would he ask that sort of question?

"No, not blondie." He chuckled turning to face me now. "The glasses girl who's always here with you...Izumo or something." He finished putting to his hand on his chin in thought.

"Izumo? Do you mean Izumi?" I inquired raising an eyebrow at the boxer. Something fishy was going on here, I could sense it!

"Ah yes that's her name." Takeda exclaimed, banging one of his bandaged fists into the palm of the other.

"Izumi is my friend not my girlfriend." I sweat dropped in reply, remembering that one time when Miu and Izumi had clashed, when Niijima had brought her to Ryozanpaku. I still to this day don't know why he really brought her to the dojo, and I have the feeling, knowing Niijima, that I never will.

"Well that's what the school paper is reporting." He teased, holding out an issue of todays paper.

"Gimme that." I demanded snatching the issue from his hands. "Where is this article exactly?"

" It starts on the front page then continues on page 3."

"Right, thanks." I unfolded the paper and clear as day, plaster all over the front page was the title 'A budding Romance in the Gardening Club.' I couldn't speak I could only gawk as I continued on to read the rest of the article.

'_A source close to the two members of the Gardening Club has stated that Kenichi Shirahama, 17, and Izumi Yuka, also 17, started dating recently after Izumi visited Kenichi at the dojo where he is currently undergoing severe martial arts training, to see how he was progressing. Ms Yuka also tried to enroll at said dojo to be along side her beloved so that they could spend more time together.'_

"What the hell?" I cried looking up at Takeda desperately. "Who wrote this?"

"Keep reading to the end." He replied giving my shoulder a consolatory pat of support. Oh gawd, please don't tell me this gets any worse? I skipped to the last paragraph so as to avoid most of the trivial gossip.

_' When asked about his new relationship Mr Shirahama had this to say " I would please like everyone to respect the fact that I am dating Izumi, and please would they stop making up rumors that I am dating Miu Furinji. This is not the case and I do not wish for Izumi to be hurt by these rumors, as she is the only girl for me."_

_So here you have it ladies and gentlemen, the truth you have all been waiting to here is finally out: Kenichi Shirahama is dating Izumi Yuka not Miu Furinji. _

_written by Haruo Niijima._

"Niijima wrote this?" I asked, crunching the paper in my fists into a ball. Was that alien freak show trying to ruin any chance I had of getting together with Miu?

"I'm afraid so." Takeda nodded his head as he answered. "But maybe if you're lucky Miu might not have seen it yet and you can break the news to her personally."

"Break what news to her? This is all lies, lies I tell you!" I wailed, waving my arms around in the air.

But maybe Takeda is right, maybe she hasn't seen the paper yet today? If she hasn't and I can get to her in time there still might be time for me to explain everything and get it clear that she's the only girl I'm truly interesting in, having as my girlfriend. Yes that would work, now to put all my hard training to work! I must run like the wind to reach the gym as quickly as possible.

"Wow calm down Kenichi, I was only teasing." Takeda chuckled nervously holding his hands up in the 'I surrender' gesture. I don't have time for this chit chat I must reach the gym before this news reaches Miu!

"I don't have time to stand here chatting, I have to tell Miu this is all a load of nonsense." I yelled with a renewed fighting spirit. "See you later Takeda!" I dashed out of the greenhouse and ran full speed around the school to where the gym is. I heard several people call out congratulations to me as I sped past them, but I didn't have time to correct them right now. I must reach Miu!

"So have you heard the news, Furinji? Shirahama has a girlfriend and it isn't you." Came a haughty female voice from the other side of the gymnasium door. Damn it I'm too late! I slumped down onto the floor just outside the door, Miu is never going to forgive me now and I'll be eating tiny meals for the rest of my dojo life. No this can not be allowed to happen I still have time to barge in there and defend myself! Knee's stop shaking and work for once in your miserable life! I forced myself off the floor and was just after I opened the door and was about to speak up I saw and heard Miu start talking.

"Kenichi can date who he wants. It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything I think of him as just a friend, or a family pet or even a stray dog you'd find on the street and feel sorry for."

'Just a friend', 'Family pet', 'Stray dog', each term she used to describe her view on what relationship we had felt like it was stabbing me straight through the chest. I guess I really don't stand a chance with Miu after all. I should just give up, go home and wallow in a dark pit of despair.

"Oh isn't that Shirahama-kun stood at the door?" A fellow member of the gymnastics club pointed out while pointing straight at me.

"Oh hi Kenichi, just give me a moment and I'll be ready to go home." She smiled at me while putting away the equipment she had been using during practise. I don't think she's realised that I just overheard every word she just said. WAHHH this sucks!

"Um Miu...I just wanted to come by and tell you that...I'll be late tonight so please go home without me." I said in a zombie like fashion before turning around and making a strategic withdrawal before I started to cry like a baby.

"Wait Kenichi!" Miu called after me. I didn't even bother to reply, her words had hurt me too much. I kept running and running in no particular direction until I ran into something and fell backwards flat on my ass.

"Ouch." I whined, looking around to see what I'd run into. The first thing I noticed was that the person was wearing a girls uniform, oh gawd I'd run into a girl. "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry are you okay?"

"That hurt," The girl moaned from where she was laying flat on her back. Hey I know that voice.

"Izumi?" I asked standing up, so I could offer my hand in assistance. It was the only honourable thing to do, seeing as it was my fault she had been bumped to the ground in the first place.

"Kenichi?" She replied reaching out to take my hand. I was right it is Izumi.

"I'm so sorry Izumi, I wasn't looking where I was going." I apologised as I pulled her up onto her feet and steadied her.

"No, no it's my fault I wasn't looking where I was going." I countered with a blush spreading across her cheeks. Um Izumi is pretty cute...maybe she would be a nice choice for being my girlfriend? No she wouldn't like me like that anyway. Hang on a minute why does she have red eyes as if she's been crying?

"Have you been crying?" I asked quietly, noticing how she stiffened at my question. "How made you cry Izumi?"

"I-it's nothing," She murmured, looking everywhere but at me. I bet this has something to do with Niijima's story, I'm going to kill him when I get my hands on that lying alien freak. It is unacceptable to make a girl cry on purpose!

"Hey isn't that Shirahama and Yuka-san over there, I guess the story was true after all." A passer by commented to her friend. I was about ready to shout at them that it wasn't true when I saw Izumi looking down towards the floor, out of the corner of my eye. She looked about ready to cry. I can't embarrass her anymore than she already has been today. I know maybe if I walk her home, she can talk to me a little bit freer than she can here at school, with so many ears around, you can understand why she's being cautious.

"If it's okay with you Izumi, would be be alright if I walk you home?" I asked watching as the timid girl looked up at me with wide shock eyes.

"Um...Yes I'd like that." She mumbled, her face turning tomato red. I wonder why she's so red? Could she be coming down with a fever.

"Okay then, I'll meet you in the greenhouse in around 30 minutes." I smiled as Izumi nodded in agreement, then I headed back to finish watering the floors. My interaction with my classmate having take my mind away from Miu's hurtful words, I also surprised myself with how much I was looking forward to walking Izumi home...

"NOOO!" I screamed realising after I dropped Izumi-chan off I had to return to Ryozanpaku and a training session with Apachai. Forget Miu starving me to death...Apachai's going to kill me first!


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own any of the characters of History's strongest disciple Kenichi they all belong to Matsuena Syun. And I must applaud him on writing such a good story.**

**A/N. A big thank you to Matty-kun who helped me with certain character aspects in this chapter *bows* you were a big help!**

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***Izumi's p.o.v***

I cannot believe this! I'm actually walking home with Kenichi, after almost a full year of being shot down every time I asked, it's finally happening and to top it off and make it a dream come true, HE asked ME. Today may not have started out very well, but it looked as if it may have a much happier ending in store for me. You see I'm not the brightest girl, I'm not dumb it just takes me longer to pick things up than most. So I get picked on alot for this both at home and at school, (and today has been much worse thanks to that article) , my only solace is my few hours a day in the greenhouse together with Kenichi. Oh thinking of the greenhouse, that reminds me I forgot to ask Kenichi if he'd watered the roses before we left.

"Um...Kenichi," I started to ask, turning my head to the side to face the boy. What the? I didn't finish my question as with the way Kenichi looked I doubt he'd hear me, even if I had continued to talk to him. I believe the word 'zombie' to be the only way to describe how my fellow club mate currently looked, he also had an aura of death hanging over his head. This isn't good at the rate things are going we'll have reached my house and not have spoken a single word to each other. But how to snap him out of his zombie like daze is the question...Oh I know.

"Are you alright kenichi?" I asked timidly, looking slightly towards the floor as I spoke as to cover my blush. Why did what little courage I had managed to muster up, have to fail me the moment I open my mouth? I mean this just isn't fair! Hang on he hasn't responded to me...I'm starting to worry about him now.

"Kenichi." I placed my hand on his arm and gently shook the boy trying to bring him back to the world of the living. What had happened to make him act this way? "KENICHI!"

"Huh? what? Oh sorry Izumi guess I spaced out." He chuckled nervously rubbing the back of his head. Jeez am I totally invisible to him? "What's the matter?"

"Well I want to ask you about the roses, but then you looked so spaced out I started to worry about you." I started off. So what if I tweaked the truth a little I was still worried about him.

"Oh, what about the roses?" He asked, instantly turning into his 'flower persona' as I called it. Kenichi was a genuinely gentle person but around flowers that side of him seemed to shine through stronger than when I saw him in class. It was part of why I'd fallen for him.

"Did you water them?" I asked glancing up to look at him as I spoke. He really is handsome in his own boyish way.

"Of course and I remembered to put the fertilizer on them too," He beamed, as we rounded the corner that lead to my street.

"Thanks, that was my next..." I stopped in my tracks at the sight that greeted me, a group of thugs were standing down the far end just where my house was. Why does it look like they're waiting for us?

"What's wrong Izumi?" Kenichi asked, turning around to look at me, as he had managed to get a few paces ahead before noticing my sudden halt.

"Um, well...There's a group stood in front of my house," I whispered pointing towards the people who had caused me to stop enjoying my peaceful walk with Kenichi. I kind of wish, at times like these, that I was like Miu because she could just swat away these guys as if they were flies...but for me that would be impossible. I was either going to have to rely on Kenichi to save me or sneak around the back to get into my own home. On second thought neither of those sounds appealing to me.

"Oh I see what you mean." Kenichi replied, taking in the sight too. I had to estimate that there were around 10 heavily built guys, and they looked as if they were waiting for someone...

"That's them isn't it?" One guy called point directly at us, making me gulp. I think I knew just who they were waiting for now, us!

"Glass's girl and the messy haired kid must be Shirahama, thats them alright." Another confirmed.

"Get em boys!" The leader commanded. Well I assume he was the leader as he wass the one shouting the orders and making them all charge at us...Wait their charging at us what do I do?

"Ke-Kenichi?" I asked, feeling my knees begin to knock so loud I was surprised that nobody could hear them.

"Run." Kenichi called, grabbing a hold of my hand and dragging me behind him as he attempted to rescue me from the thugs chasing us. Though why would they be camped out in front of my house like that? Nobody knew Kenichi would be walking me home today, did they?

"Why...are...we being...chased?" I panted as we continued to dash through the streets. He didn't look back at me once just kept a firm grip on my hand and his eyes dead ahead for that matter he didn't reply either.

"Damn that Niijima," Kenichi muttered as he pulled me around a corner and yanked me down behind a dumpers, just as the group ran past us.

"What does Niiji..." I trailed off mid sentence putting two and two together. The article that Niijima had published earlier today, if the delinquents believed the lies he'd written about me being Kenichi's girlfriends then there was no doubt why they were chasing us.

"They want to use me as leverage against you, right?" I breathed out. I really hoped it was the wrong conclusion but I didn't see any other possible reason why a group of thugs would be waiting outside my house or why they would know what I look like...I mean I'm not known for my association with delinquents, Kenichi aside.

"Most likely." He replied nodding his head. I felt my stomach drop, thanks to me and Niijima poor Kenichi was going to end up in another fight, I feel really bad about this.

"I'm sorry," I muttered casting my eyes towards the floor.

"This has nothing to do with you Izumi," Kenichi reassured me with a squeeze off my hand. Now under normal circumstances I would be delighted at the fact my hand was being held by my crush, but today it didn't seem to register to high on my list of priorities. "So don't feel like you have to apologise, this is all that damned aliens faults!"

I looked up at this feeling on the verge of crying again, to see a fiery determination burning in my fellow club members eyes. I don't think I've ever seen him look so fired up over something before, and he definitely didn't look like the Kenichi who could so tenderly care for flowers. But that look in his eyes did seem to stir some measure of my own will into action. He was right this wasn't my fault so why should I feel guilty? After all Niijima had started this by publishing that stupid story in the paper!

"I heard something over here!" A voice called from close by. Was no where safe from these guys?

"Come on," Kenichi sighed, pulling me up to my feet as we continued on our way, until we seemed to run into a brick wall, and for the second time today I ended up flat on my bottom sprawled on the floor.

Why does this keep happening?

"Yo, Kenichi."

"Ouch," I moaned, pushing myself up into a sitting position so I could start the inspection of 'Is anything damaged?' before I could actually stand up.

"Sakaki-Sensei, what are you doing here?" Kenichi asked the wall we'd just ran into. Wait Sakaki-Sensei? I looked up to see the towering hulk of the Karate teacher standing over us holding a brown paper bag, by the looks of it. Wasn't this the guy that was taking Kenichi on with one finger that time I visited Ryozanpaku?

"Oh, well we ran out of sake and Miu wasn't home so I decided to pick some up myself," He answered looking down at me. "Um you okay there little lady?"

"Oh Izumi, I'm sorry." Kenichi climbed to his feet before offering his hand to help me back up. I have the strangest sense of deja vu right now.

"Thanks," I mumbled, accepting his help as he pulled me up before brushing myself off. I was quickly running out of energy and really wanted to go home, so I could relax and study for tomorrow's math exam.

"So are you two out on a date, Kenichi?" His Sensei, inquired with a weird look in his eyes. A date with Kenichi? I wanted to die at the mention of it, no unfortunately this was not a date. But if I could date Kenichi I think my life would be complete! Not that scenario was likely to occur, ever.

"Found them!"

I whirled around and saw the group that had been chasing us round the corner and resume their charge.

"Lets teach them both a lesson for all this running around they've put us through."

I couldn't run anymore I was too tired and my whole body was shaking and refused to move, so I merely did what any other frightened high school girl would do...I yelped and hid behind Kenichi's Sensei. No offense to Kenichi but his master was build like a brick wall and was a much easier hiding place than behind my fellow gardener. I'm a horrid person for thinking like that, it almost feels as if I'm cheating on Kenichi but I'm too afraid for my life right now to care.

"Not again, come on Izumi...Hey Izumi where'd you go?" Kenichi asked looking around confused.

"I'm here." I squeaked, poking my head around from the man called Sakaki. I feel like the very definition of a mouse right now.

"Are these guys giving you trouble?" The rugged man asked, looking between Kenichi and Myself.

"They were waiting outside of Izumi's house planning to ambush us, and by the sounds of it they want to hurt Izumi now too." Kenichi explained quickly as hoping behind his Sensei to join me in my hiding position.

"Wow who's that guy?"

"No clue."

"What should we do boss?"

"Take him too."

I felt kind of sorry for the thugs, but not a lot, as the minute they'd tried to take Sakaki he just turned his head around and gave them some form of stare. I'm not sure what type of stare he used but whatever look he gave them it was effective as they turned tail and ran away looking like scared kittens. I started to giggle as the image of those big rough guys wearing ears and tails popped into my mind, I was funny.

"We'll be back Shirahama Kenichi, just you wait and see." The leader yelled at us just before he disappeared from sight. Those words instantly shut up my giggling, and filled me with a sense of unease. This wasn't over was it?

"Though gotta say Kenichi, it's not cool to put your girlfriend in so much danger." Mr Sakaki chuckled, giving Kenichi the pointed stare.

"I-it's not...really a date." I stuttered my face turning red, as I tried to look anywhere but at the two men. Though I did notice Kenichi's cheeks turn slightly pink as he floundered like a fish for an answer to give his master...He looked so cute.

"We're friends from school." He finally started off with. Ouch that hurt but I suppose it is for the best to build a relationship from the floor up. "And she was upset over a rumour going around at school, so I offered to walk her home. It was a good thing I did too or she could have been hurt!"

"Hmm well you too have fun," He smirked and continued on his way. "Just be home in time for dinner okay, hahaha."

"Whaa Sensei," Kenichi wailed, as I stood watching while the man left us alone once again.

"Um, I.."

"Let's get you home okay before they come back." Kenichi turned and smiled at me, making my heart melt a little.

"Thanks." I smiled back, before hastily averting my eyes as I could feel a blush coming on. Why did he have to be so handsome?!

"But from now on, I'll walk you too and from school." He stated firmly, as we started to walk back to my house. What did he just say?

"Erm...what?" I asked in disbelief. I was sure that was a hallucination just then, surely Kenichi hadn't just asked to walk me to and from school...But that would make it look like we were really dating, wouldn't it?

"It's not safe for you right now, what with Niijima's article calling you my girlfriend." He started to explain. "So until the publicity dies down and you can walk to school safely once more. I'll be your bodyguard."

"My bodyguard..." I mumbled, quickly pinching my arm just to make sure that I was awake and not dreaming...Nope I'm definitely awake but I'm not quite sure how.

"If that's okay with you." He garbled rubbing the back of his head. Did he think he'd upset me in someway?

"That would be nice," I smiled as we reached the entrance to my, now thug free, front door.

"So what time do you leave for school?" He asked taking in the sight of where I lived. It was nothing grand but it was a cozy two story, 4 bedroom house with a small patch of garden on the front.

"I usually leave around 8ish, as you can see I don't leave to far from school." I blushed, as I pushed open the gate that lead into my garden.

"I'll see you at 8 then." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head again before turning and leaving to head to his own home.

"It's a date." I whispered, a smile and a blush plastered on my face as I put the key in the lock and turned it. I was really looking forward to tomorrow morning now, so much so that todays dangers slipped my mind completely. I had a sort of date set with Kenichi!


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